DRIVING SUPPORT DEVICE, DRIVING SUPPORT METHOD, AND DRIVING SUPPORT PROGRAM

• US 20100309022A1
• Filed: 02/16/2009
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Hiroki
• Granted Patent: US 9,076,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/911
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data

Abstract

Information specifying an initial motion of a vehicle when travel is started on a road in a predetermined section is obtained, and information specifying an estimated motion, which is associated in advance with the initial motion, of the vehicle on the road in the predetermined section subsequent to the initial motion is also obtained. Based on the estimated motion, a guidance unit mounted in the vehicle provides guidance for supporting driving when traveling on the road in the predetermined section.

Claims

1-6. -6. (canceled)

7. A driving support device comprising:

an initial motion obtaining unit for obtaining information that specifies an initial motion of a vehicle when starting travel on a first road section of road sections that are consecutive;

an estimated motion obtaining unit for obtaining information that specifies an estimated motion, which is associated in advance with the initial motion, of the vehicle on the road sections subsequent to the initial motion; and

a guidance control unit for controlling a guidance unit mounted in the vehicle so as to provide guidance for supporting driving when traveling on the road sections, based on the information specifying the estimated motion, characterized in that

the initial motion of the vehicle when starting travel is a stopping motion on the first road section of the road sections or a motion of going through the first road section of the road sections without stopping.

8. The driving support device according to claim 7, wherein

the information specifying the estimated motion is information that indicates a difficulty of travel when traveling from one of the road sections that are consecutive to the next, and

the guidance control unit controls the guidance unit so as to provide guidance regarding a route searched based on the information indicating the difficulty of travel.

9. The driving support device according to claim 7, wherein

the guidance control unit estimates a required time when traveling on the road sections based on the information specifying the estimated motion and controls the guidance unit so as to provide guidance regarding the required time.

10. The driving support device according to claim 8, wherein

the guidance control unit estimates a required time when traveling on the road sections based on the information specifying the estimated motion and controls the guidance unit so as to provide guidance regarding the required time.

11. The driving support device according to claim 9, wherein

the information specifying the estimated motion is information for identifying the required time when traveling on the road sections, and

the guidance control unit controls the guidance unit so as to provide guidance regarding the required time based on the information for identifying the required time.

12. The driving support device according to claim 10, wherein

the information specifying the estimated motion is information for identifying the required time when traveling on the road sections, and

the guidance control unit controls the guidance unit so as to provide guidance regarding the required time based on the information for identifying the required time.

13. A driving support method comprising the steps of

obtaining information that specifies an initial motion of a vehicle when starting travel on a first road section of road sections that are consecutive;

obtaining information that specifies an estimated motion, which is associated in advance with the initial motion, of the vehicle on the road sections subsequent to the initial motion; and

controlling a guidance unit mounted in the vehicle so as to provide guidance for supporting driving when traveling on the road sections, based on the information specifying the estimated motion, characterized in that

the initial motion of the vehicle when starting travel is a stopping motion on the first road section of the road sections or a motion of going through the first road section of the road sections without stopping.

14. A non-transitive computer-readable medium storing a computer-executable driving support program causing a computer to perform the functions of:

obtaining information that specifies a state of a vehicle when starting travel on a first road section of road sections that are consecutive;

obtaining information that specifies an estimated motion, which is associated in advance with an initial motion, of the vehicle on the road sections subsequent to the initial motion; and

controlling a guidance unit mounted in the vehicle so as to provide guidance for supporting driving when traveling on the road sections, based on the information specifying the estimated motion, characterized in that

the initial motion of the vehicle when starting travel is a stopping motion on the first road section of the road sections or a motion of going through the first road section of the road sections without stopping.